University General Course Catalog 2022-2023 
    
    Mar 29, 2024  
University General Course Catalog 2022-2023 ARCHIVED CATALOG: LINKS AND CONTENT ARE OUT OF DATE. CHECK WITH YOUR ADVISOR.

Criminal Justice, Graduate Certificate


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The 18-unit Graduate Certificate in Criminal Justice includes the same four core Criminal Justice classes as the M.A. in Criminal Justice program, along with one elective, and a graduate research experience with either a department professor or a local criminal justice related agency.

Note: Students who are enrolled in this program solely are not eligible for Federal Financial Aid.

Contact Information


Dr. Matthew Leone, Director of Graduate Studies,
Department of Criminal Justice
mleone@unr.edu
(775) 784-4681

Program Objectives/Student Learning Outcomes


Upon completion of the Criminal Justice, Graduate Certificate program, students will be able to:

  • demonstrate through papers and presentations a graduate level understanding of the primary criminal justice theories used to control juvenile and adult criminality.
  • apply each of the main criminological theories to a specific crime problem, and will articulate through presentations and papers, appropriate policies to address that crime problem.
  • critically examine the enduring problems in criminal justice, and identify and analyze interventions aimed at improving and achieving criminal justice goals.
  • critically evaluate recent literature examining criminal justice public policy.
  • evaluate historic and contemporary laws, criminal justice policies, and conduct ethical analyses of laws, criminal justice policies, and practices.

Admission Requirements


A bachelor’s degree from an accredited university with an overall grade point average of 3.0.

I. Program Requirements (18 units)


Students will be required to take six courses for the certificate, including the same four core courses required in the Criminal Justice, M.A. program and two electives. One of the electives will be research oriented, either an internship in a local criminal justice agency or participating in a research project with a professor. The remaining elective is open to the discretion of the student and the graduate advisor.

Graduate Elective (3 units)


Must be pre-approved by the Graduate Program Director.

Graduate Level Research Experience (3 units)


A semester-long research experience as either an intern with a local criminal justice related agency, or a research assistant with a faculty member in the Department of Criminal Justice.

II. Recommended Schedule


A. Fall Semester (9 units)


B. Spring Semester (9 units)


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